1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an electrically heated tool, and more particularly to an electrically heated tool for use in installation of anchoring devices employing hot melt adhesive.
2. Description of the Related Art
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a conventional electrically heated tool (as disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,771,161) includes a housing 1 and a heating head 2. The housing 1 has a planar front wall 101 provided with a front recess 102 dimensioned to receive an anchoring device 3. The heating head 2 extends forwardly into the front recess 102. The anchoring device 3 has a forwardly protruding nose 301 carrying a hot melt adhesive 304, and a rear recess 302 surrounded by a circular rim 303. When a user intends to adhere the anchoring device 3 to a support surface 4, the anchoring device 3 has to be first placed into the front recess 102 so as to sleeve the forwardly protruding nose 301 on the heating head 2. Next, the electrically heated tool is operated to press the anchoring device 3 against the support surface 4 for heating the hot melt adhesive 304 for a predetermined time period so that the anchoring device 3 is adhered to the support surface 4.
However, in practice, the electrically heated tool has the following disadvantages:
1) When the user manipulates to sleeve the anchoring device 3 on the heating head 2, his or her fingers have to be relatively close to the heating head 2, which is prone to cause a burning accident.
2) Since the anchoring device 3 is engaged to the heating head 2 by only sleeving the protruding forwardly protruding nose 301 on the same, it is prone to drop off before it is pressed against the support surface 4.
3) The electrically heated tool does not provide functionality for notifying the user that the hot melt adhesive 304 has been heated for a sufficient time period. As a result, the hot melt adhesive 304 may be overheated, thereby affecting adversely adhesion of the anchoring device 3 onto the support surface 4.
4) When the user employs the electrically heated tool to reheat the hot melt adhesive 304 for removing the anchoring device 3, another tool (not shown) has to be incorporated in use to enable removal of the anchoring device 3 from the support surface 4. It is inconvenient for use in this viewpoint.